India-US Trade Talks Gain Momentum: Key Meeting in Delhi Pushes for Early Deal
In a promising step forward for India-US trade relations, Assistant US Trade Representative Brendan Lynch met with India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry Special Secretary Rajesh Agrawal in New Delhi on Tuesday. The two sides had a positive chat about the next moves in their bilateral trade negotiations and agreed to ramp up efforts for a quick, win-win trade agreement.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Lynch led a team from the United States Trade Representative’s office during their visit to India on September 16, 2025. They sat down with Department of Commerce officials to dive into India-US trade ties, focusing on the ongoing India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement.
The talks highlighted the strong bond in bilateral trade between India and the US. Both teams described the discussion as upbeat and future-focused, touching on key parts of the trade deal. They committed to speeding things up to wrap up a mutually beneficial agreement soon.
A US Embassy spokesperson echoed this, noting that Lynch’s meeting with Agrawal went well and centered on advancing the bilateral trade negotiations.
Sources close to the matter revealed that the chief negotiators from both countries plan to keep the momentum going through virtual talks. This comes after India and the US have already completed five rounds of negotiations for the trade deal. The sixth round, originally set for August, got pushed back.
For months now, India and the US have been working on an interim trade deal to boost their economic partnership. Things heated up when US President Donald Trump slapped 25% tariffs on Indian goods in July, dashing hopes for a deal that could have dodged those hikes. Just days later, he added another 25%, making it a total of 50% tariffs. He pointed to India’s imports of Russian oil as the reason, and these steep tariffs kicked in on August 27.
India, however, remains cautious about US demands to open up its agriculture and dairy sectors. These areas are super sensitive here, supporting livelihoods for millions of farmers and workers. The talks for a fair, balanced Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) kicked off in March 2025, with both sides eyeing a first-phase wrap-up by October or November.
As India-US trade negotiations heat up, all eyes are on how this partnership could shape global trade dynamics and benefit everyday consumers on both sides.
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